Zucchini and wild garlic ciorbă

Name: Zucchini and wild garlic ciorbă
Ingredients: 2 medium zucchinis (500 g); 1 bunch of green onions (100 g); 1/4 celery root (100 g); 2 red kapia peppers; 3-4 tablespoons of oil; 300 g soup vegetable mix; 2000 ml still water; 1 bay leaf; 1 teaspoon mustard seeds; 1 teaspoon salt; 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper; 15 g fresh wild garlic; 10 g fresh lovage

Soups - Zucchini and wild garlic ciorbă by Alida O. - Recipia

Zucchini and wild garlic ciorbă is a Romanian soup where the zucchini cooks quickly, staying tender and holding its shape during the 10 minutes of cooking. Green onions, kapia peppers and the soup vegetable mix make a simple base, while the wild garlic and lovage go in at the end, in a light, green, fragrant broth. I serve it with fresh bread. Prep: 20 minutes. Cook: 25 minutes. Rest: 0 minutes. Total time: 45 minutes. Servings: 4. Approximately 195 kcal and 5 g protein per serving.

Ingredients

2 medium zucchinis (500 g)
1 bunch of green onions (100 g)
1/4 celery root (100 g)
2 red kapia peppers
3-4 tablespoons of oil
300 g soup vegetable mix
2000 ml still water
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
15 g fresh wild garlic
10 g fresh lovage

Preparation

1. Clean and wash the vegetables. Chop the green onions, cut the kapia peppers into strips, dice the celery root and cut the zucchini into cubes. I left the zucchini skin on for color. 2. Heat 3-4 tablespoons of oil in a pot and sauté the green onions, peppers and celery root for 5 minutes over medium-low heat, until slightly softened. 3. Add the soup vegetable mix, 2000 ml of water, the bay leaf and mustard seeds. Cook until it comes to a boil, about 10 minutes. 4. Add the zucchini and cook the soup for 10 minutes, until tender. Season with 1 teaspoon of salt and 1/2 teaspoon of ground pepper, then turn off the heat and add the wild garlic cut into strips and the chopped lovage.

Notes

A piece of bread is all you need alongside the soup. Small, firm zucchini have denser flesh; larger ones have thicker skin and more developed seeds, so scoop out the soft middle. The jarred soup vegetable mix may already be salted, so start with less salt and adjust to taste at the end. The soup keeps in the fridge for up to 3 days; reheat only the portion you’re going to eat. If you don’t have wild garlic, replace it with 15 g of chopped spinach, also added after you turn off the heat.

Frequently asked questions

Can I use frozen zucchini?

Yes, use 500 g all the same, straight from frozen, and cook for 8 minutes once the broth comes back to a boil. It may be a little softer than fresh zucchini.

What should I do if the zucchini falls apart?

Cut it into cubes of about 3 cm and check after 8 minutes of cooking; turn off the heat when it softens but still holds its shape.

Can I use yellow zucchini too?

Yes, you can use it instead of green zucchini. Cut it into cubes of about 2 cm and leave the skin on if it’s thin.